[OSM-talk] mapping while hiking

Mike Collinson mike at ayeltd.biz
Sat Apr 26 14:17:04 BST 2008


At 04:13 AM 26/04/2008, Charles Basenga Kiyanda wrote:
>This is slightly off-topic, but does anyone have a trick to deal with 
>the gps when tagging while hiking trails? I carry a garmin etrex legend 
>Cx (unfortunately not the H version) and I find that it has to be 
>"looking" directly up and flat to get best reception. Especially around 
>here with often good tree cover and canyons. I'm just wondering if other 
>hikers have found something to remedy that problem. I'm always using 
>hiking poles when on the trail, so I was thinking about something that 
>would look like an arm-band mounted pouch that I could strap to one of 
>my forearm, since they stay pretty level constantly during the hike. 
>Maybe a backpack mounted option? I'm fishing for ideas here. I've tried 
>every possible permutation of having the gps stick out of one of my 
>pockets on pants(trousers)/coat/etc to no avail. Just for reference, I'm 
>in the southwest USA and my main source of hiking gear is REI and Amazon.

I noticed that I got much better tracks on a bicycle than walking, even in similar conditions and speeds. After some experimentation, the reason seems to be that a GPS device likes to be kept relatively stable and not shaken or twisted around.  The best place I've found on the human body is to use a day sack or rucksack with a central top pocket, i.e. centre upper torso with best view of sky.  Hips and arms move too much.

A rucksack strap should give similar results as other respondents suggest.  Like Andy, I also tried under or on the brim of an Australian stockman's hat but I found that I move my head around too much, and also even the small weight gives me a headache after a while.

Good hiking!
Mike 






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